4 Community News
Ponte Vedra Recorder ·August 27, 2015
Annual event sends kids back to school in comfort
Kelly H. McDermott
The Recorder
Beaches residents gathered for
the 22nd year earlier this month to
equip students in need with clothes
and supplies to head back to school.
BEAM’s annual Back to School with
BEAM event was hosted at Beach
Church (325 7th Ave. N. in Jacksonville Beach) on Sat., Aug. 15.
The event gathers donations from
the community as well as local businesses to give kids clothes and school
supplies to start the school year in
comfort. Parents or guardians need
only to provide documentation that
they live in a local zip code as well as
a few other documents.
Unlike with government-provided
services, parents don’t have to prove
need for kids to participate in the
BEAM event.
Kids and parents enter the venue
where they can “shop” for various
items like clothes, shoes and backpacks.
BEAM reported this year that it
helped 855 students with backpacks,
school supplies, clothes and other
necessities. On top of the students it
helped on-site that day, BEAM sent
100 backpacks filled with school
supplies to local schools.
The huge gathering of BEAM
volunteers was supplemented by
volunteers from the Exchange Club
of the Jacksonville Beaches and the
Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary Club.
Exchange Club members cooked
and distributed hot dogs for the families participating, while the Rotary
Club offered cold drinks and snacks.
The Rotary’s efforts were headed this
year — and every year — by Clare
Berry, who has participated in the
event every year since its inception.
“The clothing and school supplies
help a lot,” said one mother that
morning. “The friendliness of the
volunteers is uplifting… Times can be
In addition to the backpacks distributed at the event, BEAM sent 100 packs full of school supplies to area schools.
tough, but what a great experience.”
Beaches Emergency Assistance
Ministry (BEAM) helps low income
families and individuals in the
Jacksonville Beaches area through
emergencies and guides them to
self-sufficiency, according to the
group’s website.
Founded in 1985, BEAM offers
rent and utility assistance, operates
two food pantries and an organic
garden, offers nutritional educa-
Above: Clare Berry, center, has participated in the annual Back to School with BEAM event for the past 22 years.
Right: Volunteers from the Ponte Vedra Beach Rotary Club, pictured here with BEAM Executive Director Susan King
(blue polo), included Shelby Flanigan, Kevin Flanigan, Kelly McDermott, George Featherston, Clare Berry, Ken Smith
and Sherry Mahoney. (Photo provided by Clare Berry)
tion programs, assistance with food
stamp and Medicaid applications,
income tax filing help and other
services for families in crisis.
For more information visit www.
jaxbeam.org.